Trump Officially Invites Erdoğan to be Founding Member of “Gaza Peace Council”

Burhanuddin Duran, Head of the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate, confirmed via social media that Donald Trump sent an official letter titled “Founding President of the Peace Council” to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on January 16, 2026, inviting him to act as a founding member of this council.

Duran explained that this invitation follows the UN Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2803, which endorsed the “comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict” presented by Trump. Accordingly, the “Peace Council” and its affiliated institutions—tasked with overseeing Gaza’s security and reconstruction—are being established.

This move indicates the US effort to involve influential regional actors in the Gaza process and a recognition of Turkey’s role in Middle Eastern geopolitics.

Previous reports suggested the Peace Council would include figures such as:

• Jared Kushner (Trump’s former senior advisor and son-in-law)

• Tony Blair (Former UK Prime Minister)

• Hakan Fidan (Turkish Foreign Minister)

• Other international and regional officials.

This invitation may draw varied reactions from other regional players like Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, as well as from Palestinian factions.